The Oakland Raiders football organization has extended its lease at the Oakland Coliseum through 2013, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. The previous lease committed the Raiders to the Coliseum -- and remaining in the city of Oakland -- only through 2010.

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Three years is not an enormous extension, but it comes at a critical time. The City of Industry outside Los Angeles had recently obtained funding to build an NFL stadium, and the Raiders were on their list of teams to try to lure in.

More importantly, the Raiders and Coliseum Authority say they're also working on arrangements to keep the Raiders in Oakland beyond 2013. Raiders CEO Amy Trask the Chronicle that the two parties "have discussed some exciting concepts with us."

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One of the exciting concepts for the city of Oakland was the Raiders agreeing to pay an additional $5 million on the new lease. The city estimates they lose $12 million a year on the current deal.

"To be honest, I was looking for more money," Oakland councilman Ignacio de la Fuente told the Chronicle. "The reality is that the original Raiders deal did not work out very well for us, but at this point, we might as well try to work out a long-term lease and a long-term solution."

He doesn't sound like a guy negotiating from a position of strength. But his maneuvering to help keep the Raiders in Oakland will probably go over well with East Bay voters.

Joe Kukura is a freelance writer who is also going to approach the Raiders asking for an additional $5 million.